The ITER nuclear fusion reactor in France’s Saint-Paul-lez Durance is set to begin its experimental phase in 2034, a delay of nine years from the originally planned launch date of 2025. The pandemic and issues with certain components are the primary reasons for this delay, according to the project team.
Instead of starting with a ‘bare’ machine for plasma testing, ITER director Pietro Barabaschi announced that the new plan involves experimenting with the plasma from the beginning to offset some of the delay. This change in approach is aimed at improving risk mitigation strategies and enhancing the project’s chances of achieving its goals. The ultimate goal of the reactor is to produce energy through hydrogen atom fusion, replicating the processes that occur on the Sun.
The ITER project has brought together multiple countries, including the EU, USA, Russia, China, India, Japan, and South Korea since its inception in 2010. The project costs have been estimated to exceed 20 billion euros. While supporters believe that nuclear fusion could offer a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy source, critics argue that renewable energy sources should take precedence. Experts working on ITER emphasize that delays were expected due to challenges posed by the pandemic and quality concerns with certain components.
The revised timeline is likely to result in additional costs amounting to several billion euros. Despite this setback, experts stress that their goal remains unchanged – to harness nuclear fusion’s power to generate clean and abundant energy for future generations.
In summary, although delayed by nine years due to pandemic-related issues and quality concerns with certain components, ITER remains committed to generating clean and abundant energy through hydrogen atom fusion replication processes on Earth.